By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
Youth fans of the beautiful game will have their eyes set on the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., from July 12-19 as 16 of the finest youth soccer teams in the United States will battle for the right to be called champions as the inaugural Developmental Academy Finals Week for Unites States Soccer takes place.
These lucky 16 are being rewarded for their hard work during the season, battling it out in regional action across the country. Many of the bids were not decided until the Summer Showcase in Greensboro, N.C., from June 27-30.
The Premier Developmental Academy was created to give some of the brightest talents in the nation more of a national platform to be developed to reach the highest possible level. The PDA also opens ample avenues for scouting from college, professional, and United States National Team coaches.
In its onset, 64 clubs took part in the PDA with eyes on the prize with 16 left standing for the finals taking place at the Mecca of American club soccer, home of LA Galaxy and Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. Clubs were chosen to participate in PDA based on four areas; National Team coach analysis, history of elite youth player development, history of success in elite competitions and geography.
Eight teams are taking part in the Under-17/18 Finals Week, as well as the Under-15/16 Division. Teams are broken up into two groups of four to start round robin action on July 12, starting a jam-packed week of soccer America style in sunny California.
Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC) has teams qualified in both divisions after winning its respective Southern California championships. The U-17/18 team will take part in Group B of its division, while the U-15/16 team will play in Group C.
Capital Area Soccer League (CASL, Raleigh, N.C.) also has two teams qualified, fresh off its groundbreaking partnership deal with Chelsea F.C. of the English Premier League. The partnership gives youth soccer players at CASL yet another avenue to broaden their horizons.
Chicago Fire of the U-17/18 Division had to sweat a little in order to qualify for the finals. The Fire needed to defeat Scott Gallagher (St. Louis, Mo.) on July 3 to sew up its berth. All three Chicago-based teams in the PDA have qualified for the festivities, including Carmel United and Chicago Magic of the U-15/16 Division.
The rest of the U-17/18 bids went to Baltimore Bays (Md.), Colorado Rush (Littleton, Colo.), Westchester FC (New York, N.Y.), Crew (Columbus, Ohio), and Concorde Fire (Atlanta, Ga.).
Albertson Soccer Club (Long Island, N.Y.), Schulz Academy (Boca Raton, Fla.), Real Colorado (Centennial, Colo.), and Players Developmental Academy (New Jersey) round out the teams in the U-15/16 division.
Schulz Academy was once the proud home to one of the brightest prospects in the entire World, Josmer Altidore of the United States National Team. The 19-year old phenom was drafted early by New York Red Bull at just 17, later becoming the youngest player to score an international goal in the modern era for the US before recently inking a transfer to Spanish La Liga club Villarreal.
The Professional Developmental Academy is yet another way United States Soccer is ensuring the development of homegrown talent to reach its ultimate goal, hoisting the Jules Rimet trophy as World Cup champions sooner rather than later. It is another step in the right direction for soccer in this country as America continues to build its résumé to becoming one of the elite national set-ups in the World.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL ACADEMY FINALS WEEK
GROUPS/SCHEDULE
GROUPS
Group A (U-17/18)
A1: Chicago Fire (Mid-America Champion)
A2: Baltimore Bays (Mid-Atlantic Champion)
A3: Colorado Rush (West Champion)
A4: Westchester FC (Northeast Champion)
Group B (U-17/18)
B1: CASL (Atlantic Champion)
B2: Crew (Great Lakes Champion)
B3: Concorde Fire (Southeast Champion)
B4: LAFC (So Cal Champion)
Group C (U-15/16)
C1: Albertson (Northeast Champion)
C2: LAFC (So Cal Champion)
C3: Carmel United (Great Lakes Champion)
C4: Schulz Academy (Southeast Champion)
Group D (U-15/16)
D1: Chicago Magic (Mid-America Champion)
D2: CASL (Atlantic Champion)
D3: Real Colorado (West Champion)
D4: PDA (Mid-Atlantic Champion)
